


University

by gatcombepark



Category: British Royal Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-03
Updated: 2014-08-03
Packaged: 2018-02-11 13:49:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2070582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatcombepark/pseuds/gatcombepark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anne has a decision to make. Ficlet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	University

I sat in the VI2 common room at the Benenden School in Kent, mindlessly going through the motions of revising. School was fun and all, but after nearly two years of A-level work I was starting to feel more than a little burned out. The reality of the matter is, my life’s work was already pretty much cut out for me, and whether I left school after O-levels or kept going for a doctorate’s wouldn’t make too much of a difference in the long run, other than determining how long it would be before I could really start working.

Which brings me to my dilemma. My classmates were constantly abuzz with the excitement of university applications, and it seemed like more brochures were arriving in the mail every day from schools that seemed increasingly desperate to have me as a student. Would they be throwing themselves at me, I wonder, if I didn’t have my mother’s name practically branded on anything that has to do with me? I’d rather be in a situation where I’m wanted for what I personally have to offer, not because my family makes me somehow more important or desirable. Between those thoughts, and the aforementioned burnout, I just wasn’t positive another three or four years of schooling was what I really wanted to do.

It was time for some advice. This revising wasn’t really getting anywhere, anyways. I closed the book, put it away in my room, and grabbed some change. While I’m sure the headmaster would have happily let me use the private phone in her office, I really just preferred to talk on the same pay telephone all the other boarders used to call home.

The palace answered on the second ring. Mary, the secretary, immediately recognized me and put me on through to my mother. She wasn’t busy. Thank goodness.

"Mummy!"

"Oh, Anne, how lovely to hear from you! What do you need?"

"I’ve called to ask your advice. There’s something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately."

"Go on."

"I know you and Daddy kind of… expect that after I’m finished here, I’ll go on to university and earn a degree. But I’m beginning to wonder if that’s really a good choice. I’m going to be doing the same work for the rest of my life no matter what I do or don’t get a degree in, and I’m just feeling like I’m not accomplishing anything here- just putting letters to paper in a rather unspectacular fashion and watching people still throw themselves at me because they think they have to.

"I think if I were just to go directly to work after I finish my A-levels, I could get a lot more accomplished and feel like I’m actually making a difference. Like I’m actually bringing something of my own knowledge and experience to the bargaining table, rather than just your name."

"Well, dear, you’ve raised a number of good points. And if I know you as well as I think I do, you _will_ be much happier working than you would be fussing with university work. So here is my thought:

"Take a gap year, and work full-time as a royal in that span. If you feel satisfied with your life at that point, and wish to continue working without returning to school, you may do so; if you decide you would rather go to university, you may re-apply. But you must promise me you will work hard and not use this as an excuse to do nothing of either!"

"Certainly, Mummy. I think that sounds like an excellent plan."

"Wonderful. Was this all you needed to talk about?"

"For now. I’ll call you at the usual time on Sunday."

"Alright, I’ll talk to you then, dear. I love you."

"I love you too. Goodbye, Mummy."

"Goodbye, Anne."

Feeling much better, I hung up the phone and returned to the common room. I was fairly confident that I would be much happier working and would decide not to return to school. However, there was only one way to find out- and still some number of months between now and then. Back to revising, I suppose.


End file.
